National Grid Tips of the Trade

Welcome to National Grid’s Tips of the Trade. National Grid is committed to your safety, and these tips are intended to help you work safely near our natural gas pipelines. Please review these tips with your coworkers at your tailgate or toolbox meetings before work begins.

Keep in mind utility depth can change over time

Think you don’t need to rely on the 811 service because you already know the location of buried utilities in your dig area or because your excavation project requires only shallow digging? Making the wrong assumptions about utility depth could set you up to cause dangerous and costly utility damage.

Animated diagram of underground line depth that has changed over time

Just because you or your company may have successfully located underground utilities in the past does not mean you can accurately predict the location and depth of those same utilities today. Human activities such as landscaping can increase the depth of buried utility lines. Natural events such as wind, rain and landslides can decrease utility depth by shifting and eroding soil. Do not overlook the impact on utility depth of prior excavations and agricultural activities either.

Regardless of what you think you know about the buried lines in your dig area, always notify 811 to have underground utilities located and marked before you dig.

Keep in mind not only that utility depth can shift over time but also that 811 locates are “depth blind.” After lines have been marked, you must hand dig “potholes” to visually verify the location of all marked utility lines in your dig area.

Regardless of your excavation project type or size, remember:

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Do not let prior locates pre-empt future locates.

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Always call 811 before you dig.

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Wait your state’s required time for utility lines to be marked before you dig.

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Practice proper excavation techniques, including hand digging to visually verify marked lines.

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Know what to do if you contact a buried utility.

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Backfill excavated areas properly to support buried utility lines and protect against soil erosion.

Always contact your state 811 center before digging and for the most current requirements.

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For more contractor safety information, visit ngridsafety.com.

To report emergencies, call 911 and National Grid immediately. Always call 911 if you suspect a gas leak!

Smell Gas. Act Fast.

In case of gas emergencies:

Long Island and the Rockaways:
911 and 1‑800‑490‑0045

Metro New York:
911 and 1‑718‑643‑4050

Upstate New York:
911 and 1‑800‑892‑2345

Massachusetts:
911 and 1‑800‑233‑5325

In case of electric emergencies:

Upstate New York:
911 and 1-800-867-5222

Massachusetts:
911 and 1-800-465-1212